David Brancaccio, a longtime national business journalist and host and senior editor of NOW on PBS, visited Western’s Vehicle Research Institute Wednesday to videotape a feature on Western’s Vehicle Research Institute (VRI) team that completed a dramatic run all the way to the last days of competition in the finals of the Progressive Automotive X Prize.

A handful of students from the Department of Engineering Technology in Western Washington University's College of Sciences and Technology helped man the pit crew for the UL-14 Sammamish Mortgage/WWU College of Sciences and Technology/GO NAVY hydroplane during this past weekend's Seafair event in Seattle.

The boat, driven by Paul Becker, took first place in the final of the Unlimited Lights class, narrowly beating Kayleigh Perkins, driver of the UL-72 Foster Care-Triad Racing Technologies hydroplane, at the finish line.

More than a hundred well-wishers showed up to congratulate the Western Washington University X PRIZE Team during a recognition ceremony on campus Thursday, Aug. 5. Team members, recently returned from the finals of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE competition at Michigan International Speedway, were at the event along with their car, Viking 45.

During the finals of the contest, Viking 45 achieved the equivalent of more than 110 miles per gallon with ultra-low emissions. WWU finished in the Top 10 of more than 130 cars that started the competition.

The Western Washington University Alumni Association has relaunched the personalized brick program. The Associated began taking orders about three weeks ago for the personalized bricks, which cost $100 and become permanent parts of the brick walkways in front of the Old Main building on campus. This is the first time in seven years that bricks can be purchased, said the Alumni Association's Chris Roselli.

Nettle Honey played acoustic bluegrass music in the Performing Arts Plaza on Western Washington University's campus during the Noon Summer Concert Series on July 28, 2010. Johnny Fitzpatrick played banjo, Brittany Newell played fiddle and Colin Sterling played guitar/harmonica. Photos by Brett Flora | University Communications intern

The Western Washington University X PRIZE Team successfully completed the 100-mile range event on Friday, July 23. Next up for the WWU team, assuming that Viking 45 successfully met all the requirements of the efficiency events, are the dynamic safety events on Monday, July 26.

A sprinkler works hard to keep plants outside Old Main on the Western Washington University campus from getting too thirsty on Thursday, July 15. Weather forecasters expect the sunny weather to hang around until at least next Wednesday, with highs in the low- to mid-70s.

It seems that no matter where one turns on the Western Washington University campus this summer, construction of some sort is visible.

Among the many projects taking place on campus are renovations to the exteriors of Wilson Library and the Art Annex. Both of the buildings are receiving exterior treatments this summer to stop leaks and obviate the need for continuous maintenance due to the damage those leaks can cause.

On Monday morning, July 12, a fossil footprint of the extinct bird Diatryma was lifted from the foothills near Deming. The helicopter, from Columbia Helicopters, lifted the giant slab to a waiting flatbed, which then trucked the fossil to Western Washington University, where it will be displayed in the Geology Department area of the Environmental Studies Building on campus.

Photos courtesy of John Scurlock. Click an image to view in a larger size.

Washington Mile, from Seattle, played at Western Washington University on Wednesday, July 7, as part of the Associated Students' Summer Noon Concert series.

Bands slated for later in the series include The Globes (July 14), LeRoy Bell & His Only Friends (July 21) and Nettle Honey (July 28).

Photos by University Communications intern Brett Flora. Click on a photo to enlarge it and see more information.